It is well known to provide an energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle having a collapsible section to reduce the loads transferred to a driver of the motor vehicle in the event of an accident. It is known, for example from DE1941991 to provide such a system in which a hydraulic damper is provided between upper and lower steering columns to control collapse of the column. However it is a problem with such a prior art steering column assembly that, because the rate of damping resisting collapse of the steering column is constant irrespective of the crash conditions, the full length of travel of the collapsing mechanism is not used in less severe crashes, so the loads on the driver are greater than they need be, and in very severe crashes the driver is not slowed sufficiently before the column reaches its fully collapsed state.
It is an object of this invention to provided an improved energy absorbing steering assembly for a motor vehicle.